NHTSA Complaint #11047565 — 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3

ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 18TH, I WAS DRIVING THROUGH SLOW-DOWN TRAFFIC PASSING THE SCENE OF A MULTI-CAR ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 101 IN SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA AT 35-40 MPH. WITHOUT WARNING, THE MOONROOF GLASS EXPLODED. (IT WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME.) THERE WAS NO LOUD NOISE PRECEDING THE EVENT, AND NO SIGN OF ANY FOREIGN OBJECT STRIKING THE CAR, NOR AMONG THE DEBRIS. A WEEK LATER, I HAD THE GLASS REPLACED AT PUTNAM MAZDA IN BURLINGAME, CA. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET (US$790.61). BUT IN TALKING TO THE SERVICE REP, HE CONFIRMED THAT NO OUTWARD CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS APPARENT. ALL GASKETS AND SEALS WERE INTACT AND INSTALLED CORRECTLY, ALL MOUNTING POINTS WERE WITHIN TOLERANCES, AND THE SUNROOF OPERATED NORMALLY. THE ONLY SIGN OF AN ISSUE WAS THE ACTUAL BROKEN GLASS. AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD I WAS THE THIRD MAZDA3 OWNER THAT WEEK TO COME IN FOR A MOONROOF REPAIR (THE SECOND ONE THAT VERY DAY). THIS POINTS MORE TO A LATENT DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL/PART, RATHER THAN A FORCE MAJEURE SITUATION. AND SEEING AS THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT A MAZDA DEALERSHIP WITH MAZDA-APPROVED PARTS, THAT LEAVES ME CONCERNED THAT THIS EXACT SAME FAILURE MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. I REACHED OUT TO MAZDA USA, AND MY REQUEST TO HAVE MY EXPENSES REIMBURSED WAS DENIED BECAUSE WITHOUT "INSPECTION OR DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REVIEW FOR REIMBURSEMENT". IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP THAT PERFORMED THE REPAIR RECOMMENDED THAT I SEEK OUT A GOODWILL REIMBURSEMENT FROM MAZDA USA.